Rockies 8, Astros 6

DENVER (AP)

Smith and Herrera each hit a two-run shot and the Rockies beat
the Houston Astros 8-6 on Tuesday night.

Herrera, making just his fourth start in August, hit a line
drive into the right-field seats off reliever Fernando Rodriguez
(2-2) to break a seventh-inning tie.

''As soon as I hit the ball I knew it was over the fence,''
Herrera said. ''Everybody knows the type of player I am. I'm not
supposed to hit homers. I was looking for a good pitch, trying to
put a ball in the hole and put pressure on the defense.''

It was Herrera's third homer and first since May 12, a span of
156 at-bats.

The Rockies are accustomed to Smith hitting home runs, but not
like the one he smashed in the fifth. Smith smacked a 1-0 pitch off
the facing of the upper deck in right-center for a drive estimated
at 478 feet. It was his 15th of the year.

Smith made it 5-3 with his homer. Paredes answered with a
two-run homer, his second, off starter Alex White in the sixth to
tie it.

White, one of four players acquired from Cleveland in the trade
that sent Ubaldo Jimenez to the Indians last month, struggled in
his Colorado debut. He allowed five runs on seven hits, struck out
four and walked one in six innings.

''Both the home runs were bad pitches,'' White said. ''They
would have been gone in any park.''

It was White's first start since May 20. He was on the 60-day
disabled list with a torn tendon in his right middle finger and was
activated before the game.

Despite the homers, White's outing impressed manager Jim
Tracy.

''The numbers don't indicate the job he did,'' Tracy said.

The Astros took a 3-2 lead against White in the third on RBI
singles by Jose Altuve and J.D. Martinez, but the rookie limited
the damage by getting Brian Bogusevic to ground into an
inning-ending double play with the bases loaded.

''It could have been worse with the bases loaded and one out,
but we got a groundball right there,'' White said. ''Anytime you
give up five runs and your team still wins, I'll take that.''

Colorado tied it in the bottom half when Gonzalez scored on
pitcher Bud Norris' fielding error at first base.

Norris gave up five runs, four earned, on six hits in five
innings. He struck out six and walked four.

Lee cut the deficit in half with a leadoff homer in the second.
It was his 12th of the year.

NOTES: Gonzalez extended his hitting streak to 11 games and has
at least one RBI in eight straight games. ... Astros reliever
Wesley Wright played right field for one batter in the eighth
inning between facing the first and third hitters. It was the first
time in his career he has played a position other than pitcher. ...
The Rockies will go for a sweep Wednesday with Aaron Cook on the
mound. Cook earned his first win at Coors Field this season in his
last outing. The Astros will counter with lefty Wandy Rodriguez,
who will be making his 200th career appearance.

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